Yeye Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan has advocated for sustainable practices to beat the hard times.
Oduntan gave the advice on a day she emerged as the National Coordinator of the Association of Nigeria Women Business Network.
She promised to embark on a nationwide campaign for more women to become industrious.
She emerged as the new leader of the association after being elected to lead the group at the Annual General Meeting of the association on Thursday.
Speaking after her election as the new national coordinator of ANWBN, Oduntan, who was the immediate Deputy National Coordinator 1, stressed that more capacity building for women would enable them tap into e-commerce and websites they are about to set up.
Recalling that stakeholders have been asking for more empowerment for women, she advocated the training and retraining strategies, while noting that some businesses have gone under, owing to their failure to scale up.
Also speaking during the two-day ANWBN 2024 Summit, which was held at the NECA House, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State from October 16 to 17, wife of the Ogun State Governor, Bamidele Abiodun, said the empowerment of women has long been recognised as essential to sustainable development.
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Abiodun said that is why the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals place great emphasis on women’s empowerment, gender equality and poverty alleviation.
She said SDG 5 is dedicated to achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls, while SDG seeks to end poverty in all its forms.
The programme, which included an exhibition for members, had the theme: “Future-Ready Entrepreneurs: SkillUP to ScaleUP.”
According to Abiodun: “These goals are not just global aspirations, but a call to action that directly impacts each one of us.
“As women entrepreneurs, we are pivotal in ensuring that our economy grows, and I am proud to see that increasingly women are receiving the support they need to start and to run small businesses.”
Abiodun, who was the ANWBN chairperson for the Summit 2024, added: “Today, we face a reality where the skills we learned yesterday are no longer sufficient.
“The world around us is changing at a pace that demands adaptability and lifelong learning.
“In 2024, we find ourselves at a crossroads where technology, social media, and the complex world of finance have opened up immense opportunities, but they have also introduced new challenges.”
To this end,Abiodun lamented that many women are struggling to keep up with these rapid changes.
She said: The digital economy, for instance, has redefined how we do business, and yet many women still face barriers to accessing the internet, understanding the complexities of e-commerce, or navigating the world of online marketing.”
The programme was a forum for women to exhibit their products ranging from cosmetics to textiles, jewelries, and shoes, among others.
The programme brought together top women entrepreneurs from the academia, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola.
Also, speaking at the opening ceremony, ANWBN’s immediate past uNational Coordinator, Angela Ajala said: “ANWBN as a premier coalition of over 75 associations of Nigerian Women Business Network with spread having five million women across the country, was established to encourage, improve and empower sustainable entrepreneurial development among Nigerian women through research, advocacy, policy reforms and capacity building initiatives.”
According to Ajala, ANWBN is more than just an alliance of associations, it is a testament to the strength, unity, resilience and unwavering commitment of women that have dedicated their lives to shaping a brighter future.
She said: “It is a testament to the power of collaboration and a must remember that scaling up requires more than passion, it demands knowledge, expertise and the continuous pursuit of growth.
“It requires building strong networks and forging partnerships that will enable us to transcend limitations.
“We must also embrace technology, innovation and adaptability, as these are no longer optional tools but essential elements of our future success.”
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